Automatic intermittent feed-and-cut machine for sawing firewood



Oct. 21, 1952 R. c. coA'rs a'rAl. 2,514,589

AUTOMATIC INTERMITTENT FEED-AND-CUT MACHINE FOR sAwING FIREwoon Filed March 21, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l ATTORNEY Oct. 21, 1952 R. c. CoA-rs Erm. 2,614,589

AUTOMATIC INTERMITENT FEED-AND-CUT MACHINE FOR SAWING FIREWOOD Filed March 21, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 se 54 5s se :s3 35 :sa

lo\F 22 ,K14/# if] 73 RAYMOND COAL-s 23 riilwn/ .DALLAS RcoATs I INVENToR. wg s 64 ,f I l 74 BY l l l f 25 1o 10A ATORNLY Oct. 21, 1952 R. coATs Erm.

AUTOMATIC INTERMITTENT FEED-AND-CUT MACHINE FORSAWING FIREWOOD 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 21, 1951 RAYMOND C. COAT5 DALLAS R COAT5 INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 21, 1952 UNITED sTATEs PATENT "OFFICE AUTOMATIC INTERMITTENT FEED-Anim' GUT MACHINE Foa sAwrNG'FmEWooD Raymond'a `Coats and Dallas RwCoats; Effingham; Ill.y

'Application Marchv 21, 195),]l Serial N o.4 $126,724? ilI Claim. (Cl. 143---469` The present invention relates to al 'machine-for sawing and handling relatively small logs; misicell'aneous boards and thei'likeg; forl iirewoodhl etc.

Heretofore the sawing Aof suchU material into suitable lengths for use required considerable The time and laborburden embodied in thev method above described is Averygreatfand the;

cost-.thereof is far-lout vofa'proportion to the-'marginflofprofit to behad therefrom, andtl'iese-1 expensive ;.operation rfactors have resulted in the development of this invention. t

.Object ofthe present invention, therefore,` iste-provide amachine suchasabovementioned;A for 'sawingfwooif thereby: eliminatingzthef. en

penditure of .excess time and labor.-

Another'vobect is to provide-a, mach-ille of',

continuously automatic operationfrom theloadr' ingnd to the ,discharge .end thereof, andwhich serves to feed, hold sawy and discharge the. wood as it operates.,

Afurther object 1s to produce `an eicient andv practical device not only simple in `construction and arrangement ofpartS, vbut 'also aunitiy. assemblyy complete in itself, including electric' motorand onandoff` switch elements, itbeing necessary only to suitablyiset'the vrriachiie in positionror operation, andTthenvk connect" the electric cable from its motor'to theiusual con'= vent-ional electric. powersourcefnotlshown f The'lonly other requirement A-forinstallation' of. the machine yis the provisionf-of-afsmall ex'-V cailation directly at atheflocation :of the lower: belt-:driven pulley'. *mounted ont andf outwardly 'Y Orionev side .of the lower part iof; thefframe struc ture;y

intended fas a limitation thereof;

Other-objects and advantages! to :be: attainedY Will appear-'in the following 'description and the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure; 1" is aA sideelevationalview showing the' discsaw` in retracted position as when 51 eitheridle"orout of engagement withthe `logs L on the.conveyor'elemenitl andl with the log holder barin; raised position, as torelease the Figure *zaisa view similar to'Figure 1.; but with part of one side of theframe, structure removed to reveal more clearly' the mechanism, and showing thev disc lsaw iny position' as `having cut throughy the logs L,V while the log holder element is shownashol'dingthe remaining uncutjlogs in *posi-tion;V before it is'raised 4for the operation of'the conveyor element for'movi-ng they logs alongto the next position vfor sawing; Figure 5 is an elevational viewof the opposite side of Figure 1';

Figure 4 is al top plan View of Figure', the dottedlines S- indicatingr-l the vforeward position ofthe-disc sawduringtheJ cutting operation;

Figure 5; isa front elevational view,'but with theV foremost sideboard .ofiy the conveyor element 2a removed `to show'theactual conveyor belt and-l its sprocket wheels;

Figure v6 is arearielevation'al view, -witnthe rearmostl sideboard ofi-the conveyor element removed;

in detail, thefunitary frame assembly I U `is formed 4,0, generally offchannel iron, comprising the horizontally f" disposed substantially rectangularly shaped frame portion 10A and theA identically shaped oppositelyiand vertically-disposed frame portions vIDB Vand "IUC: lMounted on the frame 4,5., portion@ IUC i tapered'plate member 4"l 0E .,(Figs. 15 and 6) adapt# ed tosupport the'elect'ric motor M 'from which extendsthe electric cable C .provided 'with .an 5d' electric; connecting. plus, .not shown, ,for the purpose of supplying' electric power from any suitable source tothe motor M to operate the machine. f

Arranged'forwardly and laterally of the frame '55 portion 'IUAj'andeXtending a'substantial distance Figure y'7 is 'an-enlargedrragmentary detail view;

is the right-angularly formed bracket portionrI'fllD having the flat forwardlyl out from one side thereof is the frame structure IDF supporting the general conveyor element II comprised of the loading section I2 and the discharge section I3 adapted for co-operative intermittent operation as will herein later be more fully explained.

In one embodiment of my invention the motor M is mounted as shown in the drawings, its driving pulley M-I` engaging the belt I4 to drive the pulley I5 fixedly mounted on the outer end of the CFI drive shaft I6 operating in the bearing members I7 and I8 (Fig. 4) suitably mounted adjacent the top and on the front face ofthe frame portions IBB and IUC respectively.

The pulley I9 is also xedly mounted on the drive shaft I6 adjacent and inwardly of the pulley I5 and engages the belt 20 which in turn drives the pulley 2i xedly mounted on the outer end' of the shaft 22 operating in the bearing members 23 and 24 which are suitably mounted on the frame portion IDA-see Figures 3, 4 Yand 5.

It is here noted as obvious that the pulley I9 being of substantially `larger diameter than the pulley I5 tends to increasethe R. P. M. of said pulley and shaft 22. The pulley 25 xed on the shaft 22 engages the belt 26 which drives `the pulley 2l' fixed on the shaft 28 operating in the bearings members 29 and 30-see Figures 1 and ll--suitably mounted respectively on the forward face of the frame portion H3C. and the vertical channel member IBG fixedly mounted on the rearmost lateral member of the frame portion IGA-see Figures 4, 5 and 6.

The pinion 3| fixed to the inner end of the shaft 28 is adapted to engage and drive the gear 32 iixed on the inner end ofthe shaft 33 which operates in the bearing members 34 and 35 suitably mounted on the rearward face of the frame portion GC and the vertical channel member IDG respectively. Also fixed on the shaft 33 is the bevel gear 35 positioned to drive the bevel pinion 31, xed on the rearrnost end of the substantially long shaft 38 which is journaled in the supporting member 39 suitablyA mounted on the forward face of the vertical channel member IG.

It is here noted that the bevel gear 36 has gear teeth on only one-quarter segment of its bevelled surface, so that in its operation it engages and drives the pinion 31 only intermittently,lthus effecting the intermittent operation Vof the loading section I2 and the discharge section I3 for the purpose which kwill be later more fully explained.

On the forward end ofthe shaft 38 is xed the universal joint 40 engaging the drive shaft 4I forming a component part of the loading section I2 of the conveyor element II as will later be explained. Fixed on the opposite end-of the drive shaft 4I is the drive gear 42 engaging the drive chain 43 adapted to operate the discharge section I3 of the conveyor element II which will also laterV be explained.

At the outer end of the loading section I2 the idler shaft 44 is suitably mounted on and between the sideboards 45 and 46. On the idler shaft 44 and on the said drive shaft 4I a pair of sprocket wheels 4l' are spaced apart to engage a pair of link type conveyor chains 48, each link of which carries one end of each of a series of fiat relatively narrow hardwood slats 49 forming an endless conveyor belt comprising part of the loading section I2.

At the inner end and the outer end of the discharge section I3 the drive shaft 5I) and the idler I shaft 5I respectively are suitably mounted on 4 and between the sideboards 45 and 46. On this drive shaft 5U and on the idler shaft 5I a pair of roller members 52 are mounted, and they engage the endless conveyor belt 52A comprising part of the discharge section I3.

Fixedly and suitably mounted on the rear face of the bevel gear 3B is the cam member 53 adapted to engage around its peripheral edge the roller 54 mounted by suitable pins means on one side of the holder bar 55 which is pivotally engaged at its rearmost end by the supporting arm member 56 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the rear face of the frame portion Iz'lC to enable the raising and lowering of the holder' bar 55. The for ward end of the holder bar 55 has the form of an a plurality of spaced'apart through holes 57 (Fig.

2) vertically and alignedly positioned to slidably engage a corresponding number of spindle members 58, each of which comprises a pointed pinlike lower part 58A and a relatively broad and deep upper part 58B, the part 58A of these spindle members 58 being capable of free substantially vertical movement within the holes-5l.

Two bearing members 59 are suitably mounted on the hereinbefore mentioned shaft 22, and each of these bearing members 59 is suitably secured by its base flange portion 59A to a'rectangularly formed sleeve member SI1- see Figures 7, 8 and 9 for detailsadapted to snugly yet slidably engage a channel member :6I having an integral outwardly projecting lug portion 62 adapted to threadably engage an adjusting screw member 63 thebottom end of which bears against onetop edgev of the sleeve member SII to adjust the posi? tion of the channel member 6I within the sleeve member for the purpose hereinafter explained.

Suitably mounted on the shaft tioned between the sleeves 60 is the multiplegrooved VV belt type pulley 64 adapted to engage and drive a plurality of V type belts 65 which engage and drive the multiple-grooved- V belt type pulley 66 suitably mounted on the shaft E'I operating in the bearing members 68 suitably secured to the foreward face and adjacent the upper end of the channel members 6 I. The inner end of the shaft 61 is suitably Vthreaded to receive first the threaded flange member 69, then the disc type buzz saw S and another flange member 69, and finally the threaded loclinutr 70, thus comprising an arrangement for mounting and enabling the normal operation and reciprocal movement of the saw S, said reciprocal movement being accomplished by means of the rocker-bar 'II pivotally secured to the cross-bar 5I A spanning and iixedly secured to the channel.

members 6I, While the movement of the rearmost end of said rocker-arm is governed by its pivotal engagement, adjacent said rearmost end, with- Whicnis pivotally en.

the upwardly projectprojecting supporting rearmost end of the rocker-bar 1I is the circumferentially grooved wheel member 'I5 adapted-to2 edge of the cam '165' roll around the peripheral mounted by bolts. or other suitable means on one face of the gear that the sustained rolling contact of the grooved wheel member 'l5 with and around the edge ofI the cam 'I6 is effected by means of the twin coil springs; 11 mgunted 011 andbetweeri therossthe inner face of thev 32, and it will appear obvious' Y f of logs away from the saw it is designated in Figure Avanced or cutting position.

bar BIA and thei'cr'oss-barTIBispanning and fixedly Scuredgtdthe frame portions, IIlB -.,and, IIl.4 "ot, iii 'actual practice, tiieecessary come@ tion being made between the cableCA and awsuitable electric; .n.cweri1s01ire-, the irwtmrA M sets in motionthe entire mechanism, of the invention, andthe operator is required "merely to place7A the logs,I fon, the loading sectionv I2,l which; being operated by the revolving ofthe shaft 3,8, moves the,'logsintdposition across` the, relativelygnarrow sawy spacebetween the loadingsectionlland the discharge section I3 at whichpoint the bevel gear 36 turns r`in its cycle tol that portion within which it has no teeth, with the result, of course, thz'tt"v the bevel pinion3I-is not engaged andlthe'reforfe-v doesnot revolvethe shaft-.133, whicnstops theoperation ofthe loadingsection IZfantl-'the discharge section I3 until the bevel gear 36 again revolves to the point where the section having the teeth again engages and revolves the shaft 38. In the interval during which the sections I2 and I3 are stopped, the saw S being mounted vand arranged for reciprocal movement as described and as shown particularly in the Figures 2 and 4, is moved forwardly into the open saw space between' the sections I2 and I3, to saw up the logs L which have vbeen there placed as above described. The saw then returns to its original position until the logs L are again moved up into position to be sawed. It is obvious that the discharge section I3 movesl the sawed-up portions to discharge them into whatever receptacle or vehicle may be provided to receive them.

The operation and reciprocal movement of the saw S is accurately adjusted to correlate with that of the loading and discharge sections.

It will be seen'from reference to the drawings that when the cam 'I6 is in the position shown in Figure 3, for example, the saw S is then in retracted position, and that when the cam 'I6 is in the position shown by the full lines by which 2, the saw S is in ad- The tension of the V type belts 65 may be Uregulated by means of adjusting the set screw 63 in the lug 62, the bottom end of the set screw 33 bearing against one top edge of the sleeve 60., and it is obvious that in turning the set screw A63 down against said top edge of the sleeve 60 the effect is to lengthen the channel 6I and thus tighten the belts. By reverse procedure the belt tension may be lessened if desired.

Mounted xedly on the back face of the bevel gear 36 is the cam 53, the which is adapted to engage the wheel member 54 on the holder-bar 55, and when the cam 53 is in the position shown in Figure 3 the holder-bar 55 is raised to the position out of contact with the logs L until the machine against brings the logs up to a stopped position before the saw S on the sections I2 and I3, at which time the cam 53 has been rotated to the position shown by the full lines in Figure 2. The dotted lines generally or" Figure 2 designate the position of the mechanism when the saw S is in retracted position. The twin springs 11 retain the saw and its supporting mechanism in retracted position until the operation of the machine propels it forwardly into cutting position. v

The arrangement of the spindle members 58 and the yieldable, yet downwardly tending action thereof accomplishes the secure holding in position of various sizes of logs being sawed and the peculiar structure and arrangement of parts in the present embodiment of our invention effects peripheral edge of f relativelyjnafrrpw-a d the'arpendedi elaine- "Theiereeticnisfntithere? f91e1i11l11ted-1s1191f19a11r 19 the @attracties andv message@Shemaleweeeeempanrinedr slaagden L v g llngated 511:1?Stalliallr.1fetacsiilarlrY Shaped.. aedrhergeetallr-f. ,grossed main: :fr 1501111011, a secondari. frame Dertien harina-.a 'f'elongated shape formed intgral 21,11

tending laterally from one side of the main frame portion, laterally disposed slat type conveyor belt means suitably mounted alignedly on the secondary frame portion and formed in two sections arranged so that a relatively narrow space separates them and into'which space the saw moves in operation, one section being of substantial length and to serve as the loading section while the other section is of relatively shorter length to serve as the discharge section, a vertically disposed superstructure having two oppositely disposed' side portions of substantially like size and proportion and adapted to carry part of the mechanism of the machine therebetween, power transmitting means carried by the superstructure and adapted to transmit power to a main shaft suitably mounted on the main frame portion, a pair of upwardly projecting spaced apart reciprocating members suitably mounted on the main shaft, suitable bearing means adjacent the upper end of the reciprocating members for mounting thereon a saw carrying shaft, means on the saw carrying shaft for mounting a disc type buzz saw, a multi-grooved V-type pulley member suitably mounted on said main shaft between the reciprocating members, a relatively smaller multi-grooved V-type pulley member suitably mounted on said saw carrying shaft, a plurality of V-type belts engaging the two said V-type pulley members for operating the saw, a secondary shaft suitably mounted on the superstructure and means on the main shaft for transmitting power to the secondary shaft, a pinion on the secondary shaft adapted to transmit power to a third shaft suitably mounted on the superstructure, a relatively large gear on the third shaft adapted to be driven by said pinion on the secondary shaft, a relatively large cam xedly secured to the gear and adapted to be revolved thereby, a rocker-bar suitably pivotally connected to the reciprocating members and to a reciprocating arm which is suitably pivotally connected to the main frame portion, a roller member suitably mounted on said rocker-bar and adapted to engage the peripheral edge of said large cam to effect the reciprocal movement of the saw, spring means connecting the reciprocating members and the superstructure to yieldably maintain the saw in retracted position, a bevel gear mounted on the third shaft, said bevel gear having teeth on only a one-quarter segment of its circumference, a drive shaft suitably arranged for connection by a universal joint with said conveyor means and by pinion means with the bevel `gear to elect the intermittent operation of the conveyor means, a smaller cam xedly securedto one face of the bevel gear, a los,r holder member pivotally mounted on the superstructure and extending longitudinally of the machine to a position of suspension just above said relatively narrow space between the said two seetons of the conveyor belt means, a, roller member suitably mounted on the log holder member and adapted to engage the peripheral edge of said smaller cam to raise and lower said holder member, a plurality of alignedly positioned and substantially vertical through holesrin the free end of the holder member, a pin-type holder element slidably mounted in each of said holes and having a weighted portion integrally mounted on the top'of the pin-type holder element to yieldably secure' the position of the logs during the sawing operation.v

RAYMOND C. COATS. DALLAS R. COATS.

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 189,628 Y Kautz Apr. 17, 1877 410,777 Abbott Sept. 10, 1888 764,717 Foshee July 12, 1904 2,497,488 Cashwell Feb. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country v Date 354,228 France July 21, 1905 104,894 Austria Dec. 10, 1926 539,365 Germany Nov. 27, 1931 

